The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference, after 64 seasons at the off-campus Floyd Casey Stadium, the Bears opened the new on-campus McLane Stadium for the 2014 season. Initially, starting in the year 1898, the university played its games on an undetermined field near the university campus. Beginning in 1905, the home games were played at Carroll Field. Baylor did not adopt a mascot until December 14,1914, additionally, Baylor did not join an athletic conference until 1914 after the conclusion of the football season, when it became a founding member of the Southwest Conference. Baylor played its first home game against Tobys Business College in 1899, its first away game on 4 November 1900, at Austin College, and its first neutral-site game against Texas A&M in 1901. Texas Christian University was located in Waco from 1895 to 1910 and was one of Baylors greatest football rivals until the dissolution of the Southwest Conference in 1995, the 1901 season also welcomed Baylors first Thanksgiving Day football game, with a 28–0 win over St. Edwards University. J. C. Ewing took control of the team in 1902, watts restored Baylors winning tradition in 1903, with a record of 4–3–1. No team was fielded in 1906 following a ban opposing the violence of football, luther Burleson headed the restored football team in 1907, and managed a 4–3–1 record. To this day, Baylor claims the honor of having the largest homecoming parade in the world, in 1966, John Hill Westbrook of Elgin, Texas became the first African American to play varsity football in the Southwest Conference when he joined the Baylor team. Baylor won the SWC Championship in 1915,1916,1922, in 1956 Baylor came close to the SWC title again but finished second and was sent to face the undefeated #2 Tennessee Volunteers in the 1957 Sugar Bowl. Baylor defeated Johnny Majors and the #2 Volunteers 13-7 and this was the highest ranked opponent Baylor had ever defeated until defeating #1 ranked Kansas State in 2012. The 1924 SWC Championship would be the last for decades until Baylor won the conference again in 1974 under the leadership of third year head coach Grant Teaff. From the late 1940s until the mid-1960s, Baylor also played in the 1952 Orange Bowl, twice in the Gator Bowl, Baylor had finished in last place in 4 of the last 7 seasons including the year before and had not won the conference championship in 50 years. Also, prior to season, they had never appeared in the Cotton Bowl. Furthermore, coming into the 1974 season Baylor had lost 16 consecutive games to the Texas Longhorns, the 1974 Texas vs Baylor game looked like another easy win for Texas as the Longhorns took quick control of the game and went into halftime leading 24-7. Baylor was energized starting the 2nd half however, sparked by a punt early in the 3rd quarter. The Bears rallied to a thrilling 34-24 victory over the Longhorns, Baylor went on to win the conference title that year and a first ever trip to the Cotton Bowl
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